Monoplane aeroplane.



, 1 R.W. STEWART. MONOPLANB AEROPLANE. APPLIOATIOT FILED-MAY 6, 1909.

Patented 1Y[a,r.8,1910.

A @ewa/5f l Va citizen of theUnited States, residing aaron.

y RQBERT W. STEWART, EAST OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

MONOPLANE AEROPLANE.

Specification of Letters Fatent.

Application filed May 6, 1909. Serial No. 494,234. I

To all whom it may concem Be it known that I, ROBERT W. STEWART, at East Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Monoplane Aeroplanes, of which the following is a specification.

. My invention relates to flying-machines of the aeroplane type.

The Qbje'ct of my invention is to construct an aeroplane having a maximum degree of stability, which will be capable of being maintained at Va uniform elevation above the earth while the main plane is in horizontal position, or nearly so,'and which aeroplane will offer a minimum of resistance to the air.

v The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accomn panying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a sideelevation of the invention'. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same with the top partly broken away to show the underneath workings. Fig. 3 is an end vdiew of the apparatus. Fig. 4 is a section on X-X of Fig. 2. i

As shown in Fig. 2, the aeroplane is essentiailly tra-pezoidal in outline, being widest at the rear and tapering to the front. This trapezoidal body is made up of two lateral wings A of trapezoidal form, brought'together at the front and expanded toward the rear; the space between these two wings being occupied by a trough-iike, if-shaped, hollow, pyramidal breast 2. This pyramidal breast is in cross-section that of an equiiateral triangle; its greatest cross-sectional arca being-at the rear, and tapering from the rear to the front of the aeroplane, where its apex joins the front meeting edges of the wings A. This pyramidal breast with its open trough-like character constitutes the main feature of the present invention, since it contains great balancing as well as lifting properties, and forms a truss for the strengthening of the whole structure.

The wings-.and breast are made of tough` fabric stretched over a suitable framework 3 of connecting rods and braces. The'breast portion 2 is stretched overits triangular inclined frames 4, and the whole being suitably braced across the top, as shown at 5, and down the sides and across the bottom, as at 6 and7. This metal framework made out of light, staunch metal tubingconstitutes in itself a rectangular-shaped skeleton box, on the lower part of which frame are supported the motors 8 for driving the propellers 9, andthe seat for the operator by whom the Hight of the machine is controlle he propellers, of which there may be any suitable number, are preferably arranged at the sides -of the machine, as shown, and below the lateral wings A, the propellers being carried by their shafts 10, which latter receive motion from the engine through suitable connections, represented at- 11.

Back of the engine and extending downward to the bottom ofthe portion 7 of the metal frame is a keel or center-board or tin portion 12" of fabric which is triangular in shape andV extending beneath the breast 2 and in line with the lower ledge or' the latter.

` This fabric center-board portion 12 performs the functions of the usual keel or center-board of-a boat to prevent side slip, and also to assist in giving stability to the structure. v

'The sidewise steering of the machine is done from the rudders 13 arranged in front of the driver, and composed of fabric mounted -on suitable frames turning onvertical standards 14. The movement of these rudders in unison is eectedby suitable means, as a `i",.lever 15 having a central arm fuicrumed at 16 between the rudders 13; the lateral arms of the T 15 being connected by links 17 with the rear outer ends of the rndders. A drum 18 is fixed in the pivotal end of the lever 15 andconcentric with the pivot` 16, and the turning of the drum to oscillate the rudde'rs is accomplished from' a point convenient to the driver' by suitable means, as the tiller cords 19 passing around the drum 18 and around a tiller-wheel 20 which-may have a h'andle 21 to enable the operator tot-urn it.

.Patented Mar. 8', 1910.

The ascensional and descensional movements of the aeroplane are regulated by one or more planes 22 mounted on horizontal shafts 23 on a rigid framework 24 extending forward of the trapezoidal .frame 0f the machine. These planes or wings-22 are of fabric and are worked in unison from the vsteersmans seatby connections` 25and 26 asias@ with the steeringwheel 27, similar to the steering gear just described in connection with the tillers 13.

A. 600 angle for the trough-like breast 2 of the aeroplane is inost eiicient, for several reasons. it' the aeroplane is sitting horizontal in the air, the pressure on the sides of the trough-like breast will be equal, no mat-- ter what angle is used. Il the aeroplane is tilted to the right, the pressure on the left side will decrease until that side is-perpen dicular, at which position the pressure will be aero, and. the pressure on the right side will increase as its angle increases with the perpendicular. The resultant pressure may be represented by a lever ot' the second class; the power is the pressure on the right hand side of the breast, the fulcrum is the apex of the triangle, and the Weight is the pressure on the left hand side of the breast. 1f an angle greater than 60Q should be used, while I would lobtain a greater resultant leverage, the main frame of the aeroplane,

however, would have to tilt through an arc in excess of 30 to attain this leverage, and when an aeroplane is tilted to more than an angle of 30 it is in grave danger of com; pletin the arc to O and crashing to the ground. Another important thing in regard to the breast is that it is open on top from front to back, and therefore the aero plane presents only a thin edge throughout its length to the resistance or' the air, and consequently the apparatus can move through the air with almost unretarded motion, because lthere will be practically no vacuum behind the machine.

The trapezoidal shape of the aeroplane is also an important feature, because the substantial breadth at front is necessary in order not to render the apparatus too sensitire or inclined to be `unniaiia,0.,'eable, as would be the case if the front o the machine was brought to a point like a dart.

lhe apparatus may be provided with wheels, represented at 28, to permit of an easy landing of the machine, or to assist in its starting.

Anotheriinportant feature is the position of the propcllers forward o the center of the machine, and iii such position as to form a 'pivoter balance for the machine, making it easier io handle. rlhis feature, taken in conjunction with the front stcerii'ig rudders, gives the operator a more perl'ect control of a. long, narrow, tapering plane, such as here represented.

Y Having thus described my invention, what iclaini and desire to secure by Letters Patent isl. An aeroplane havine' a body portion approximately trapezoidalD in outline being widest at the rear and narrowest at the front, said trapczoidal portion being bisected by a trouglrlilre breast open on top from end to end, having its top edges tapering from the rear to the Afront of the machine and having its bottom tapering from front to rear with its apex joining the front edges of the body portion.

An aeroplane having a body portion comprising two lateral wings of trapezoidal lorm, said wings being widest at the rear and narrowest at the front, and an intermediate breast portion of trongh-like form open :trom end to end on top, said breast portion widening from front to rear in both horizontal and vertical planes and presenting a substantially equilateral triangle in cross section.

3. An aeroplane comprising a body portion composed ot' lateral Wings of trapezoidal form, widened toward the rear, 1San intermediate trough-like, V-shaped, hollow, pyramidal breast, a center-board portion along the lower edge of said breast, and a steering rudder at the forward end of thel breast.

4. An aerial machine comprising an aerov plane body portion substantially trapezoidal in outline, having its wider parallel side at the back, the central portion of the aeroplane being dropped down in the form of a hollow, open, V-shaped trough, the wings formed vby the aeroplane at the sides of said trough being essentially in the form of trapezoids meeting at the forward apex end of the trough, and a central depending n or center-board pp'rtion along the lower edge of said breast.

5. An aerial machine comprising an aero` plane body portion substantially trapezoidal in outline, having its wider parallel side at the back, the central Jortion of the aeroplane being dropped town in the form of a hollow, open, V-shaped trough, the wings formed by the aeroplane at the sides of said trough being essentially in the form of trapezoids meeting at the forward va 4)ex end oi the trough, and a central depen ing iin or center-board portion alongthe lower edge of said breast, said device provided with propeller-s and means for operating the saine, and steering mechanism for controlling the direction of movement of the aeroplane. i

G. An aeroplane having a body portion approximately trapezoidal in outline, being widest at the rear and narrowest at the l'ront, said trapezoidal portion being bi sected by a pyramidal trough-like breast open ii-om end to end on to and said aeroplane having a vertical ru der at4 the front and a horizontal rudder in advance of the` aeroplane and carriedthereby, with' means for operating said rudders.v

7. An aeroplane having a body portion approximately ti'apezoidal in outline, being widest at the rear and narrowest at the front, said trapezoidal portion being bisected by a pyrzunidal troughdke breast open from end to end on top, said aeroplane having a vertical rudder at the 'front and a horizont-a1 rudder in advance of the aeroplane and carried thereby, with means for operating said rudders, and propellers carried by andstuated forward of the. center of the machine.

witnesses.'

Witnesses:

ROBERT V. STEW AR' SAMUEL C. BENNETTS,

W. B. KENNEDY. 

